Marketing is Darren's way to make a difference

Cape Town - Darren Barnes (25), managing director of Perfect Solutions, started his career in the marketing industry as an assistant to the marketing manager of an NGO in Cape Town at 19 years of age.

Shortly after that he was accepted by the Raymond Ackerman Academy (RAA) of Entrepreneurial Development.

The academy offers training to budding business owners, who do not have access to tertiary education.

In addition to training, he was mentored by the RAA and its founder Raymond Ackerman himself.

Darren was awarded the Raymond Ackerman Academy Top Achiever Award as well as the Pioneer Foods Investment Award, which was awarded to Perfect Solutions for Entrepreneurial Development and growth.

During this time Darren had the opportunity to show his talents when he provided professionally trained promotional staff as well as activation set- ups to a national fast food chain.
 
Through hard work and sheer determination he established himself as the preferred below the line (BTL) agency to one of the largest soft drink brands in South Africa.

In pursuit of excellence and his dream, Darren took on work from a fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) group.

To date, Perfect Solutions has worked with high end brands such as Pioneer Foods, The Ceres Beverage Company (Pepsi, Liqui-Fruit, and Lipton Ice Tea), Simba, Elizabeth Arden, KWV and Phillip Morris (Marlboro and Chesterfield).

Darren has invested smartly in growing and developing a sustainable business in the very competitive BTL market.

On top of that Perfect Solutions is a Level 1 contributor to B-BBEE.

The company has a presence in the Western Cape, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal and support local entrepreneurship initiatives both by offering internships and by involvement in local projects.

Perfect Solutions contributes to the livelihood of over 1 000 people. The company directly employs 16 people, with an additional 300 employed on a casual basis every month.

Darren and Perfect Solutions have come a long way and are reaping the benefits of very hard work.

What really counts for Darren is not how much money he makes, but the difference he makes, he says.

This is why his next goal is to find ways to empower other emerging entrepreneurs.

- Fin24

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